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Narrowboat AREandARE

From the 2009 & 2010 tantalising tales, traumas and stunning photographs of Barry (photographer) and Sandra (writer) from New Zealand aboard NB 'Northern Pride', to the stories of their 2013 return journey, purchase of 'AREandARE', progress on sustaining their live aboard continuous cruiser lifestyle, and Barry's quest to gain residency and 'Indefinite Leave to Remain' in UK ...

Saturday, 8 December 2012

A wonderful time with my sisters - and a slight hiccup in our plans to return to UK ...

It's been many a week since my last posting - apologies everyone! Two of my three beautiful sisters have been in New Zealand on holiday - we've had such an amazing time which didn't include a space for blogging!

Linda, Viv and Sandra on White Island - an active volcano off the North Island of NZ

It was Barry's birthday on Thursday, so my poor sisters will have been extremely tired on their flight back as we had a party on Friday night which went on until the small hours.

Our hiccup is with the requirements for Barry's UK visa - these all changed in July 2012, and it seems an even more complex process than before, so we've been going round and round in circles. There's financial requirements we have to meet (understandable), that don't seem to take into consideration self-employment or the possibility of living on a narrowboat! So today we've contacted an agency in the hope of acquiring expert assistance. Otherwise, if there's the slightest problem with any part of the application form or supporting documentation, they reject it and charge us $1,700 a time.

We can't apply until three months prior to our departure on 19th March - and on 19th December I'm flying to Bali to meet my youngest daughter for her 30th birthday and won't be back in Gisborne until 10th January. Barry's children Jamie and Tom will be keeping him company for xmas and New Year, which, we hope, will be his last ones for a considerable time - if all goes to plan!

We're keeping positive and are very hopeful we have evidence of suffcient funds to support us, and of our relationship of seven years and marriage of three, so that we'll be 'let in' to UK in March - otherwise we'll be homeless in Gisborne as our house is sold which could prove interesting ...

4 comments:

Hello Sandra and Barry after such a long period of silence from me. I passed Northern Pride in the summer and the new owners told me you were due back in the UK next year. If you entered as illegal immigrants you would not encounter those awkward restrictions and costs! Anyway, take care of yourselves and hope to see you eventually. Meanwhile, check out my blog:- http://nbstronghold.blogspot.co.uk It makes for good bedtime reading as it's guaranteed to send you to sleep.

Kia ora Ray, lovely to hear from you again! Fingers crossed we'll be back on the cut by April 2013 and hope to meet you at last! We plan to enter legally so we can stay for many years, hopefully it's not as complex as it seems - far too many forms and questions! We're very hopeful that the agency will be able to reassure us and guide us through ...Oh, and we'll check out your blog :-)Sandra & Barry